The Waltz
by Korella May
Summary: They play the game like it is a dance, both fearing the moment when the music stops. Its time for a waltz. Chuck/Blair following 2x08.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl, any of its characters or anything of that much value.

Summary: They play the game like it is a dance, both fearing the moment when the music stops. Maybe its time for something more elegant, like a waltz. Chuck/Blair following 2x08.

* * *

**Forward Step**

He makes the first move.  
Leading her  
a hand to the waist.  
The dance has begun.

Blair lets out a sigh as she holds court on the steps of the Met. Penelope is whining about some imagined snub from a well to do Unity boy, but Blair just can't seem to make herself care.

_"Look I'd rather wait, but maybe in the future..."_

Chuck's words echo in her mind and while it makes her feel slightly better, the soft scowl on her face remains. It's only been a week since their last exchange, but time seems to move slower when she doesn't see a hint of his trademark smirk around.

So where is Chuck, and what _or who_ has he been doing? She checks her phone regularly but Gossip Girl is as clueless as she is as to his whereabouts. She is feeling less excruciating pleasure at this moment and more a sense of abandonment.

"I'm going for a walk," she announces, abruptly interrupting Penelope's tirade as she stands. "Alone." She adds when she sees the girls scrambling to follow her.

Most days, the idle chatter of her minions serves to clear her mind while her Queen Bee side shone through. Today, however, it just wasn't having the same affect and her mind keeps replaying the scenes of the past few weeks. Words said and unsaid, dark eyes and lonely roof tops.

She rounds the corner as she heads back to school when it catches her eye. A distinctive scarf, attached to the only person fit to wear it, Chuck Bass. He is leaning casually against the wall, almost as if he was waiting for her all along.

More than likely he has escaped St. Jude's to smoke in peace but in the back of her mind she likes to think he is expecting her.

He hears the sound of her boots against the pavement and looks up as she approaches.

And there it is, the smirk she has been missing since the night he spoke those words to her in her bedroom. Since the night they last kissed.

"Waldorf," he greets her with a nod.

"Bass," she replies with a small smile, her first of the day. Her stride however, doesn't slow down and she continues towards the gates of the school.

"Care to stop and step into my office for a moment?" he says falling into step beside her.

She scoffs, "By office do you mean the wall outside where you like to smoke your joints? We have no business between us and I don't want to be late for next period."

His hand suddenly touches lightly to the small of her back, gently as if guiding her. "Hmm you're right, as always of course," he muses. "I'll accompany you to class."

Her pace falters for a moment as she regards him, trying to see his motive to such uncharacteristic behaviour.

"Since when do you care about your punctuality?"

"Waldorf, can't a friend simply escort another friend back to school?"

"A friend, maybe. But you? I thought you were avoiding me."

For some reason this makes the smirk appear, more evident this time. "Now why would you think that? I had some... things to organise. Were you missing me?"

"Please don't flatter yourself. I was just wondering whether you'd skipped off to Monaco or something. It's always safer to know which direction the tornado is coming from, you can run in the other direction then."

She hopes her voice is level, because her heart is starting to do that fluttering thing that only happens when he is close by. The hand continues to faintly steer her, and its insistence is beginning to unnerve her.

"Actually I was planning on calling you. I would like to extend to you an invitation," his voice is pleasant, almost formal. It's not something she is used to when normally he is throwing witty barbs at her or growling huskily in her ear.

"Another orgy at 1812 perhaps? My answer would be no."

"Hardly. Dinner, at the apartment tomorrow night. My father is returning from his business trip in Italy so all the Bass-Van Der Woodsen's will be in residence."

The request makes her arch an eyebrow. Dinner with the family. It's almost too normal for them. Chuck and Blair belong in a world of limos and secret rendezvous, not in the realm of the ordinary with everybody else. He said it himself Chuck and Blair don't hold hands or go to the movies.

This must be a new game Chuck is playing, though she's not sure she knows the rules yet.

"I think I'll have to get back to you," she says slowly, waiting to see his reaction.

Perhaps he was expecting an outright refusal, because instead of smirking at her again, he offers a quiet smile. "I'll have the car come round at seven."

His fingers brush once more against her back before he steps away and through the gates of the school courtyard.

She is left standing, slightly confused as to what had just happened. Within moments she is onto her phone to text Serena, in case she has any insights into why Chuck Bass seems to want her at their family dinner.

He has made the first move, but she is unsure what her next one is supposed to be.

The dance has indeed begun.

* * *

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Gossip Girl, any of its characters or anything of that much value.

Summary: They play the game like it is a dance, both fearing the moment when the music stops. Its time for a waltz. Chuck/Blair following 2x08.

* * *

She is Blair Waldorf. She can do anything, supposedly. Going to a family dinner with Chuck and the rest of the Bass-Van der Woodsens should be easy.

But in that statement lays the problem. They were Chuck and Blair and nothing between them ever came easy. It was all fire and passion, and while it was worth it, it never came easy.

Of course she'd checked with Serena. If this really was a family dinner her best friend must surely know if something was going on. But unfortunately the blonde wasn't able to shed any light on the situation.

"_Chuck invited you to our house?" Serena asked sounding almost amused at the idea._

_Blair had huffed, "It must be some sort of plot. What did he say to you?"_

"_Nothing, honest B. He asked my mom if he could bring someone over but the way he asked we all assumed he meant Nate."_

"_Serena," she had whined at her friend's casual tone. Didn't she realise that something must be going on? _

"_What do you mean the way he asked, was he cocky? Or maybe he did that thing with his eye brow when he's scheming," Blair could've imagined it perfectly, Chuck setting the bait for his prey._

"_No scheming eye brow, no cocky voice. He was sincere, well if you could ever apply the word sincere to Chuck Bass I guess. Maybe it is just dinner Blair. Nothing to get worked up about."_

"_Just dinner?" Blair echoed sceptically._

"_Its just dinner."_

Its just dinner, she tells herself as she puts on her earrings. Its just dinner, she repeats as she places the final touches to her hair.

She glares determinedly at her reflection in the mirror. "Its just dinner," she says firmly, trying to stop the chant in her head. It doesn't help.

Luckily Dorota has always had impeccable timing, "Miss Blair! Mister Chuck's car is come for you!"

* * *

She had expected him to send the limo to fetch her so when she reaches the limo she is surprised to see him there holding the door open for her.

"Waldorf, lovely as always."

Briefly she notes how good he looks in his suit, though he always does. Then she wonders if he is psychic or merely lucky because his light grey bowtie complements the silver trim of her dress perfectly.

It is too much. The scene is being set like the romantic movie in her head, but after the past two years Blair is much too suspicious of happy endings.

"Tell me what you're doing Bass."

"Its obvious, I'm picking you up at seven like I said." He motions for her to enter the limo.

"No, really tell me. What is going on here?"

"Look, just get in the car. It'll make sense eventually." He says, trying to placate her.

If anything the conversation just serves to confuse her more.

"Chuck, I need more than that. What game are you playing?"

"Why does it always have to be a game? Why can't I simply ask you to come for dinner at my house? It doesn't have to be a trap. Now will you please get in the car?"

His tone is maddeningly normal. As if it wasn't just two weeks ago they were both choosing 'the game' over whatever the two of them could be together.

"That's not enough, Chuck."

He holds her gaze for a moment.

"Fine. I'll tell you."

Once more he indicates for her to get into the limo. This time she complies. With one more searching glance to his face to see if he is giving anything away before ducking into the cool interior of the darkened limo.

As the car begins to move she prompts him.

"So?"

He takes a moment, as if trying to work it out properly.

"Isn't it enough to say that it was just time?"

"No. And as always _I'm Chuck Bass_ will not cut it with me."

"Well maybe there is no explanation."

"Chuck!"

He takes a steadying breath.

"Because _you_ are Blair Waldorf and though you hate to hear it I _am_ Chuck Bass. We always get what we want, so why not this?"

"You said it. One of us is going to mess it up. It's still true just like it was two weeks ago."

"Maybe I want to try anyway," His eyes are dark and intense and Blair can't look away.

"Its not enough any more, just to pass you in the hallways and trade sarcastic remarks. I don't want to have to check Gossip Girl to know where you are every minute, because I want you with _me_. I can't see you in the courtyard at school, when your lips are that perfect shade of red, and _not_ want to grab you and kiss you. I want you to be mine and I want _everyone_ to know you're mine. "

Blair thinks she has stopped breathing, so intent on hearing every word he is saying.

"Maybe we're not ready to be that couple, holding hands, going to the movies. But I want more than just the game. We can be more, I know it and so do you. We're inevitable Waldorf, I'm simply making it happen sooner than later.

She sits back in her seat and slowly takes a breath. His words make her hopeful but she can't help being sceptical.

"You don't believe me," he frowns.

"It's not that I don't believe you, I want to. But you were right before. We can't do this now, maybe in the future…" she trailed off sadly.

"We can't change who we are, I'll always act like an ass and you'll always be a bitch. But I wouldn't want us any other way. One of us is bound to screw it up. I'm simply saying that I'm willing to try to put us back together if that happens."

It was almost enough. She needs one more reason to risk her heart again and she prays to God that he will give it to her. "And why would you want to do that?"

And then that soft smile appears again, "As if you didn't know Waldorf."

"I need to hear it."

He leans closer and unconsciously she does the same, till they are mere inches apart.

"I love you."

She is undone.

Mirroring the moment they shared their first kiss in the exact same place they are now, she closes the space between them and captures his lips.

Breaking apart only for a moment, a brief whisper in his ear, _"I love you too Bass."_

_

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**Author's Note: Hope you're liking it. More to come, there is still a dinner to get to!**


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